OBETZ, Ohio – Crew forward Emilio
Renteria refuted a story from a newspaper in his native Venezuela that he
agreed with the referee’s decision to disallow his goal during the CONCACAF
Champions League game at Santos Laguna in Mexico on Tuesday.

“I never said that,” Rentería said
Friday morning through a translator. “I said, ‘Why is the referee calling it
off? He couldn’t disallow the goal because he called for it.’ I never said the
referee was right in disallowing the goal.”

The score was nullified after
referee Luis Rodríguez said in his official report that Rentería re-entered
play without authorization. The Crew dispute the account, and they say Rodríguez
told the team that the reason was because he did not have a number on a replacement jersey
that was necessary after Rentería got blood on the original from an elbow to
the right eye.

The Crew contend there is no
requirement to have a number on a jersey.

“It’s not right,” Rentería said of
the decision. “[Rodríguez] made a mistake. He called for the goal. He can’t
call the goal back.”

Rentería came onto the field and
took a free kick from Duncan Oughton before setting up Andy Iro’s header into
the goal in the 22nd minute.

The Crew lost 1-0 and Rentería received
a yellow card after the goal was taken off the board. But he said he was never
given an explanation by the referee.